Top 10 Xbox One Exclusives (First Three Years)

Microsoft has always strived to offer a lineup of must-have exclusive games. Thankfully, Xbox One has an impressive selection of titles so far. Today is its third anniversary, so to celebrate; I've compiled this list of the best exclusives.

Killer Instinct

This reboot of the old-school 2D fighter is epic. Not only does it retain the classic feel, it also has gorgeous graphics and boasts a massive cast of characters stretched across three seasons of DLC packs. You can even play as fighters from series such as Battletoads, Halo, and Gears of War. Now, Combo Breakers can be stopped with Counter Breakers which makes the combat crazier than ever.

Ori and the Blind Forest

Metroidvania games don't get much more beautiful than Ori and the Blind Forest. The breathtaking artwork, emotional story, and stunningly well-crafted atmospheric soundtrack make it a captivating adventure that any genre fan should check out. If you'd like to learn more about its colourful and magical world, head over to my full Ori and the Blind Forest review:

Sunset Overdrive

Not many games bring back the spirit of the '90s. Sunset Overdrive has you play as a punk who must put an end to a crisis where humans are transformed into mutants after consuming the new energy drink OverCharge Delirium XT. With vibrant visuals and a massive open world, you're bound to love every second of hyperactive acrobatic exploration and weapon-based combat.

Dead Rising 3

Slaughtering hordes of zombies has always been an enjoyable activity in the Dead Rising series. Crafting brutal weapons and monstrous vehicles in order to mow down multitudes of undead is a blast and Dead Rising 3 intensifies the insane action to a new level. For more on this ridiculous zombie-slaying escapade, check out my entire Dead Rising 3 review:

Raiden V

Although not as widely known as the other games on this list, Raiden V is a fantastic retro-style shoot 'em up that fans of the genre will love. The online feature where you can cheer on fellow Raiden players as they achieve greatness is seamlessly integrated in the gameplay and makes it substantially more enjoyable. If you're interested in reading more, fly your ship over to my Raiden V review:

Titanfall

It may not have lived up to everyone's expectations upon release but Titanfall remains a must-have game for anyone who loves online multiplayer first-person shooters. The intuitive parkour elements make it feel like Call of Duty with a touch of Mirror's Edge. Now that the sequel is available for PlayStation 4 as well, even more gamers can enjoy the tense and ultimately satisfying combat.

This Titan looks like it's about to fall

Halo 5: Guardians

Speaking of first-person shooters, here's Halo 5. As the latest entry in the long-running series of shooters, it's disappointing that the single player campaign doesn't live up to earlier games but Spartan Locke and Master Chief would rather battle online anyway. There's plenty of downloadable content now that'll extend its replay value so it's definitely a good time to pick up a copy if you haven't already.

Gears of War 4

Considering this was developed by The Coalition and not Epic Games, Gears of War 4 is an impressive sequel. The developers must be huge Ratchet & Clank fans seeing as the new weapons (like saw blades that ricochet) seem to be lifted straight from the Lombax's adventure. That's not a bad thing, however, as the awesome weapons make battling the Swarm more exciting than ever.

Forza Horizon 3

The accessible Forza Motorsport spin-off series Horizon has made racing fun for gamers of all backgrounds since its debut in 2012. This latest installment takes the open world racing to Australia where the realistic visuals amplify the absolutely exhilarating gameplay. It's such an astounding racer that it has me wondering how Playground Games will outdo themselves for the fourth game.

Rare Replay

Sometimes, it's more enjoyable going back to the past than playing the latest blockbusters. Rare Replay is bursting with classics from the early '80s to late '00s that mostly still hold up surprisingly well. Whether it's the insane beat 'em up action in Battletoads, delightful platforming in Banjo-Kazooie, exciting overhead combat racing in R.C. Pro-Am, or relaxed garden management in Viva Pinata; there's something here for everyone. This collection of Rare's games could possibly be the best retro game compilation ever put together. To read more about it as well as browse the full list of games, check out my lengthy Rare Replay review:

A.J. Maciejewski (crazyaejay): Thanks for reading my top 10 Xbox One exclusives so far! What are your favourite Xbox One games?

Tylerh1701: I loved Ori, wonderful gameplay and art style. Rare Replay has Banjo Kazooie so that makes it one of the best automatically. State of Decay is another exclusive I really like, I just picked it up for my X1 after playing on 360 long ago. I need to check out Sunset Overdrive. Gears was nice but not really my type of game.

A.J. Maciejewski (crazyaejay): Hi, Tyler. State of Decay is a good one. Same with Quantum Break. I considered adding both but they didn't quite make the list.